CGWAVE (Panchang & Xu 1995) is a 2D finite element model based on the elliptic mild-slope wave equation. It is similar to wave models HARBD (Chen and Mei 1974) and PHAROS (Kostense et al. 1986). CGWAVE can simultaneously simulate the effects of refraction, diffraction, reflections by bathymetry and structures, dissipation due to friction and breaking, and nonlinear amplitude dispersion. The computational capabilities of CGWAVE model permit the modeling of large coastal regions. The governing equations of CGWAVE pass, in the limit, to the deep and shallow water equations, making this model applicable to a wide range of frequencies, including short wind waves, swell, and infra-gravity waves.